Basic Rates for Each Group of Hospitals Approved for 2026 (2)

Bratislava, 28 November (TASR) - The steering committee for reimbursement mechanisms and price regulation for institutional health care has approved basic group rates for each group of hospitals for 2026, the Health Ministry told TASR on Friday, adding that fair financing of hospitals is being established. According to the ministry, the approved proposal will encourage institutional health-care providers to increase the share of health care financed through payments for services rendered and, conversely, to reduce the share of lump-sum payments in total health-care payments. "Today's vote by the DRG committee brings us significantly closer to fulfilling the Memorandum on Establishing Fairness in the Financing of Institutional Health Care," said Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD). Under the decree, starting as of 2026, hospitals will be financed through the mandatory SK-DRG reimbursement mechanism at a rate of 30 percent of hospital production volume. The basic rates for individual hospital groups are proposed and approved by the steering committee for reimbursement mechanisms and price regulation for institutional health care. The ministry claims that, based on the steering committee's recommendation, it's set group base rates with the aim of supporting the institutional health-care sector, primarily through increased production and the reduction of waiting times to the maximum extent possible. The current proposal was voted for by the Health-care Supervisory Authority, all three health-insurance companies, all representatives of health-care providers, the Slovak Medical Chamber, and patient representatives. One member (the Finance Ministry) abstained, and the Doctors Trade Union Association voted against it. The trade union criticised the Health Ministry's proposed plan for hospital financing on Thursday (27 November), claiming that, according to the proposal, private hospitals are to receive a threefold year-on-year increase in basic DRG rates when compared to faculty and university hospitals. They warned that this would exacerbate the imbalance in hospital funding. The Supreme Audit Office warned on Thursday that if the proposal is adopted in its current form, it will not only go against all of the office's proven findings, but it will also contradict the conclusions of the Finance Ministry and the Health-care Supervisory Office. The Health Ministry pointed out that the proposal approved on Friday differs from the one criticised by the medical trade unions on Thursday (27 November) that expressed concern that it would deepen the imbalance in hospital funding. The ministry declares that it has established fair financing for hospitals. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the last paragraph am